Police are asking the public for help in identifying copper thieves captured by surveillance cameras at Martin Elementary School in the seventh theft of copper this year from a Beaumont ISD campus.

The thefts are costing the public thousands in repairs and lost time, said BISD Police Sgt. Danny Moore. The latest occurred on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 14.

Moore said Monday that thieves have broken into gated air-conditioning units behind schools to steal the copper wiring from chiller units.

In the most recent theft, the surveillance video shows an individual in a hooded camouflage jacket and dark blue jean shorts approaching the back of Martin Elementary School, 3500 Pine St., from the north. The person's face is covered with a gray cloth in the video, Moore said.

It took about 30 minutes to steal about $600 worth of wire from Martin Elementary, Moore said. He estimated between 20 and 40 feet of wire was stolen.